Can Money Buy Happiness? 5 Arguments for (and Against)

Can Money Buy Happiness?

Can money buy happiness? It’s one of the most heavily disputed and researched questions of all time. Countless studies have been done, with each seemingly confirming the inconclusiveness of the last. I’ve researched a handful of these studies, and have concluded that there are 5 main ‘happiness influencing factors’ of money. Depending on the person, these factors may or may not have an impact on your happiness levels.

Many of these studies contradict each other on conclusions surrounding these 5 factors (perhaps due to their study group). Let’s take a look at the arguments on both sides and then do a poll to see why you are pursuing more money. In today’s economic climate with layoffs and uncertainty about our financial futures, some introspection regarding this question is sorely needed.

The 5 Influencing Factors Money has on Happiness

1. The Money and Time Argument:

Yes: money allows you more time, and we all seek more time. This could come from having caretakers for kids, an assistant, a personal chef, etc. This control over your time leads to happiness.

No: without our busy lives comes the satisfaction of getting stuff done for ourselves. Take that away and dissatisfaction sets in. You start to lose touch with reality and become unhappy.

2. The Money and Freedom Argument

Yes: Having money allows you to essentially free yourself from the pursuit of more of it. Getting out of the game makes you happy.

No: Having a lot of money only encourages the pursuit of more of it. It’s a never-ending cycle of feeling like you’re just about to make it and then never getting there. Also, if you love your job, money can take away the satisfaction that you get from it. You start to question ‘why do I need to even work?’. As a result, you’re never happy.

3. The Money and Stuff Argument

Yes: Money allows you buy things that bring people closer together (think a backyard patio, grill, rec room). These social interactions lead to happiness. Also, some people get a lot of satisfaction from the pursuit and purchase of ‘stuff’ for themselves or others. Having the money to buy more stuff makes them happier.

No: Do you really need expensive stuff to bring people together or make you happy? And does that stuff create a mirage of friendship with others that only leaves you dissatisfied because you didn’t have the interactions before you had the money?

4. The Money and Experiences Argument

Yes: Money allows you the ability to travel, go to sporting and arts events, and experience fine dining. These things lead to positive memories, which influence happiness.

No: The experiences and the satisfaction that they produce are very short lived and don’t add any long-term value and happiness in your life.

5. The Money and Stress Argument

Yes: Having money frees you from the stress of not having money and wondering how you will pay things in the past (if you have debt), present, and future. Being free of this worry can add to your happiness.

No: Money only relieves stress up to the level of covering your basic needs. Once basic needs are covered, no further happiness is gained. Additionally, having a lot of money can actually lead to further stress because you become worried about how to manage, preserve, and grow the money.

Money and Happiness Discussion:

Do you think money can buy happiness? Why or why not?

Is your pursuit of more money for the purpose of gaining happiness from it?

You’re on a personal finance site. Why are you pursuing more money? Take the poll!

49 Comments »

Yes, I do think money can buy happiness if it is used humbly by the right person. For instance, someone who donates money for the good of others, uses money to start a satisfying business venture, quits their job to spend more time with their family – can all lead to happiness.

However, if used the wrong way like buying stuff, showing off to others, being reclusive – those can all lead to unhappiness.

It’s funny though when you look at all the studies of people who win the lottery and very few, if any of them are actually happier afterwards. It really makes you wonder.

I read an article once that basically said that money doesn’t buy happiness. What it does is allow us to experience and make happy memories. For instance if you are planning a trip to Mexico, you will get excited thinking and talking about the plans that you have made. You will create memories on this trip that are different and more exciting than your everyday life. You will recall these memories for years to come through pictures, stories, and feelings. The money did not make you happy directly, but it aided in making you happy. that’s my 2c

Having money can’t buy happiness because humans aren’t wired to just “consume” in some kind of a moral vacuum. It’s in our wiring to be creators and achievers. So, I think the creation of money and the creation of value is what gives us what we want. This creator mentality presents us a social reality that makes a lot more sense.

If you want a website that makes you happy, don’t go only for profits — focus on value. The rest will come.

If you want a relationship that makes you happy, don’t go only for the physical — focus on emotional bonding. The rest will come.

This creator principle is pretty cool when you think about it. Then again, maybe I’ve been reading to many personal growth blogs. Haha. 😛

Where’s the “Money and Philanthropy” argument? Some of the happiest people in the world are billionaires who have the ability to create foundations or give to charity and have a significant impact on hundreds or thousands of less-advantaged. Consider Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, who have given literally billions of their own money (which they earned) to causes like AIDS research, reducing poverty, and expanding education.

On the money side, consider the following quote from “Atlas Shrugged” (Ayn Rand):
“Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce.” – Francisco D’Aconia (fictional character)

This idea of thinking of money as an agnostic “tool” would serve us well. Remove emotion from money, and instead think of money as a representation of what you’ve done or produced. You can choose to perform a service for free, a form of charity, but getting paid for that same service is not inherently “evil”.

I think money buys happiness only to the extent that it’s a means of converting what you do best into something else, be it stuff, charity, time, culture, whatever.

I don’t think money can buy happiness. I think having the monetary means of perusing the things that make you happy would be a more accurate account.

I think Trevor was dead on in his account. Buying those experiences is not what usually makes people happy; it is getting to see new places and experience new things that leave you with a lifetime of memories. The same goes with buying time. It is not having the time that makes you happy. It is being able to play with your children more, etc. that is fulfilling.

I think too many people concentrate on the means and not the outcome. The outcome is what is important, in my opinion.

Statistics show that money doesn’t necessarily make people happier, but what it does, is usually make their lives less stressful. If money problems are not much of a worry for you, then you have more time to focus on things you do enjoy, like friends, family, hobbies, learning new things, etc. This is what leads people to happiness. It’s the time they have to enjoy things they like with the people they like.

Phil, great point. I’m majoring in business with the goal of building a “fortune” and hope to continue giving 10% (at least) to cure world thirst. I must say, it is SO incredible to give a significant some of money to a charity like that. And the Rand quote is also so true.

Yes money especially hitting the lottery for millions can definitely buy happiness in most cases. The only reasons it won’t is if the person has a bad vice like drugs, booze or gambling and destroys themselves with the money or they have been brainwashed with that middle class morality that money is “immoral” and they have been conning themselves through the years while they didn’t have any money that they were so “happy”. I myself had money about 6 years ago and was very happy now that I am in debt and struggling I am not happy and at times miserable. Struggling is not fun. I am happy I am healthy but the stress of not having money makes me sick at times. I think people who never have money convince themselves its ok to work for low wages and get screwed over with high rents and living like a slave and that they are happy and that money can’t buy happiness because they know they will never have money. If you hit the lottery for millions and manage the money right and stay healthy you should be happy never to have to work a job and be able to wake up late, dine at nice restaurants, travel , have a nice car , a nice place to live and never have to worry about any bills. This alone should make one very, very happy! If it doesn’t your crazy or lying.

i do believe money can create happiness in CERTAIN ASPECTS and to a certain level. not having to worry about rent, about buying your children school essentials, clothes, food, etc.., about that 600 dollar car that will one day break down on the way to work and get you fired, etc.. will make you happy to a certain extent. I believe that money can’t make you TOTALLY happy, you have to make the effort to surround yourself with people you love, doing things that you love, enriching the lives of your children and yourself (traveling, going to museums, bonding while camping, fishing, etc…) but IMO, you cannot say money does not bring you happiness until you have crossed a certain threshold of poverty where you can’t afford even the basics. if the money is used wisely, it will have amazing results. however, that is much easier said than done.

I know money buys happiness. C mon people get real the world is a cruel place. please take your blinders off. Unless you are bernnie madoff , syrian president, or saddam hussien money makes the world go round.

I dont think money can buy you happiness expecially if it in the wrong hands and used in the wrong way,i know someone who won the lottery and her neighbours kept knocking on her door asking for money and getting threting letters which drove her to suicide

Happiness is a state of mind. It comes from within a person. That is why another person can not make you happy, no matter what they do. Money can not buy happiness. Money can buy things that make you feel good but are short lived. I found that in order to be happy in life you have to have a balance in your life of these important aspects of life. 1-Love where you live. 2-Love your work. 3-You have a partner or family or friends you love and care about. 4-You have a partner family or friends that really care about you. You need at least 2 of these four basic life characteristics, to reach the threshold of happiness. If you have all four then you will have the potential for more happiness then if you have only have two. If you only have 1 element then your potential for happiness is minimal. Example: You love where you live, but you hate your work, you don’t have family or friends that care about you and you don’t have someone that you can say you care about in love or affection. You are most likely to be unhappy. If you love where you live and you love your work you can be happy even if you do not have the other two. You can play around with the scenarios, its is very interesting if you evaluate your life in these terms.

Money cannot buy happiness on certain cases. You may be wealthy in terms of money but when it comes to friends? Maybe not. In the end, money can keep your friends as long as you’re rich but when you’re not? You can never tell. Being with your family and true friends is priceless. Love is way beyond millions and constant happiness is being with the people you love most.

phillip, u r lonely and have no friends. go away. money cannot buy happiness most of the time; it rarely does. it is rarely used for the right purpose. when ppl win the lotto are they happy? money cant buy you friends, a life, wife husband bf or gf, or joy. alll it does is make you content for a few moments then u want more and more and more and more stuff.

cj, just shut up already. “IF MONEY DOESENT BUY U HAAPPINES YOUR CRAZY OR LYING DDrrRRRrrrRR”. its called an OPINION assbag. OPINIONS are tiny little things that ppl should respect, no matter if they agree or not with them. sadly, ppl lately are haveing huge wars over some stupid tiny thing not worth fighting for. (what is this world coming to?!?>!?!) seriously, my hypothesis is that if u have alot of $, u have no friends. no one really loves u, they just pretend to b your bestest buddy to try and cash in on ur stuff. when u go in debt, they leave u. i have SEEN this happen. and money can make ppl more stressful. they have to pay more for stuff, for more ppl, they have to wonder what to do with it… and as for the rich are happy, theres a reason tax cuts for the wealthy fail. they just keep it for themselves, not sharing to the middle and lower class that actually WORK for their money. did the wealthy become happy after their tax cuts? hmm let me thi- NO HELL NO. no proof of that at all

I think it depends on the person, their circumstances and health. For me, I believe money would definitely make happiness more accessible. When I think about my life. I am afraid and angry (numerous reasons). Money would enable me to distance myself from the people/things that make me angry and get closer to things that make me happy.

I play the lotto. When I have that “what if” fantasy (like every lotto player has), I don’t think about mansions and limos. I think about helping the people I care about who need it. I think about security and stability. I think about donating my life to a cause like Multiple Myeloma, an incurable disease that took my mom. I am so far in debt from college and student loans. This debt will more than likely be hovering over me for the rest of my life. When I think of a world without that beast, I feel elated. Oh the possibilities!

Instead, I grind my teeth, working for the man..stressed, anxious and afraid.

“Money makes the world go round”. I’m sure we’ve all heard it.As such can you honestly say you would be stressed out if 1 billion dollars was legally dumped into your possession to spend as you see fit? I know I would not be stressed if that happened. I’m gonna agree with CJ and say you are a liar if you say that. Secondly, Joebob, you bash CJ and call him an asshat then call for him to respect opinions. I kinda think that’s the action of a hypocrite. Honestly money would make things a WHOLE lot easier for people. No bills to worry about. Also most likely before you became rich, you would already have friends and family who love you so that would’nt be an issue.SO, you’ve got your friends and family, you’ve got no bills to worry about, and you can buy objects that are pleasing to you, or give money to causes that will make you content on the inside. What’s the problem with having money again? Someone mentioned managing it. You could pay people to do that for your nowadays, then you can pay people to oversee those people, and people to oversee them. Money, in no way will make you stressed, unless undeserving people try to take it away from you. Like a woman you meet after you become rich and fail to get a prenup, or something like that. Other than that, rich folks don’t have the worries of the poor or middle class…..

Money is the most important thing in your life. Without money – you are nothing. More money and monthly income you have – more powerful you are. Only poor people convince themselves to believe that money doesn’t make them happy, just not to become upset about it. Money can buy everything, even friends. Just give someone $500 and he will become your slave. Got in prison? No problem, just give every thousand bucks to police officer, lawyer and you are free. The only problem is how not to fuck all your money in the same day, because if you’ll do that, your power will go down. I don’t know how about you, but I think that some normal person life cost about $200’000. He doesn’t worth more. Bum is not a human, so I’ll rate him as $0.

And remember, don’t give your money to someone else with no reason, for example, do not donate your money to some fucking Haiti, Nygeria or where ever it’s possible. Giving money will only make you less happy, which is completely worthless. Save every cent you have and feel how your power is growing up.

Of course, when we purchase something we are happy. But this “happiness” eventually goes away, it is short-lived.

Sure, I go to the bookstore to get that book I always wanted. Oh and then I make a trip to the electronics store to get that plasma tv. Okay..Im happy. Days later..that [same] happiness is not there anymore.

As for the “experience”, sure money is a way to create happy memories. It’s entirely subjective. I can create happy memories all the time..with or without money.

In a way money can buy happiness, if you arent born into a rich family, you learn to value money, so you understand that it doesnt grow on trees and that it shouldnt just be spent reclessly. you grow up with those values and that should stay with you. There are a lot of things that money can help you to put to the side for example the stress of not having to worry about bills, buying good clothes and stuff so you feel more confident and therefore a lot of others things will fall in place so you can experience other things in life. A lot of people will say, oh well then if im rich and i have a ton of money i wont have anything to do during the day when my friends are working, well if you have a passion you could still forfull it because money doesnt have to alter your life. think about it a new house makes people happy, a new car makes people happy, new clothes make people happy, holidays make people happy, and all of those things are from money so therefor money makes you happy. In saying that its not only money that makes you happy so with money you can add the other things that make you happy and be happier. Drugs make people happy, but its not always good and it can turn bad, but that depends on if you abuse having it or not. Same with money. Money can buy happiness, and if you dont have it you can find other things that can make you happy.

I agree, so here’s something you can ponder about: when or if you’re rich, you don’t have to live in luxury, I would be the same old me: no luxuries, no good food (but plain, boring, or healthy food), while being rich, I’m proud of this. But enough about that: I know money buys happiness because I’m not happy because I have no money.

Money gives you more choices in your life. Having more choices will allow you to opportunties of all types to choose paths that can lead to happiness, or not. But you have more choices and that increases the probability of happiness.

Saying that money can’t buy happiness is a trick. Thats like saying a car cant feed you. But it can drive you to the grocery store.

I agree with wretched rob. Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure helps. Funny how serendipitious the Net10 ad appears on this page. Since switching to Net10, I save an average of $50 a month…enabling me to do a lot of cool stuff wit the kids this summer

if you help your old parents with money but don’t stay with them or meet them /followup with them regularly then it won’t remove their loneliness .. so only money doesn’t help.

I remember there was a birthday party of my friend..everybody presented him big/costly stuffs.. but i had presented him a small greeting card which i made it from my hands (i painted) — i still remember he has kept it safely till now after so many years… i think my small stuff (which isn’t economically costly) – is more precious.

Also sometimes you may feel real happiness at your worst times when they get support from people (you will notice lots of your friend may abandon you — but.. u know what i mean)

Also even with lot of money lots of people are unhappy..may be they always run after money..screw up their brains and act like psychos and think they are something,.. may be some of them catch some health issue..or.. get abandoned by their wives due to their Tiger woods like behaviour………….

Just you have to be helpful to supream power .. atleast we are alive and healthy and eat and dance and watch movie and find g/f or may be try for g/f or .. have children .. or help poor.. or do whatever we want.. everyones destiny is different… we must try to define/redefine our desitiny.. only think is we need to be flexible in life..

But this doesn’t mean you won’t go after money.. i am still going after money!!!…. because i want to live a life of luxury .. i know i will achieve that .. if i don’t then also no problem.. i will live my life to the fullest and enjoy eating that tandoori chicken and icecreams.. !!!

Correct! Money buys happiness because I’m pissed off I didn’t get money. Never mind, s@#t happens! Why am I sceptical? Sometimes I have no idea why I deny people’s comments. On the contrary, are you rich? I calmed down about my poverty, so righty-O, I’m happy again. But it would be nice if half of us got $600,000 when we win it, come on! I can rent an expensive apartment with that. Any questions on me? Apartment joe says, an ascetic should never mock or disparage a rich man, if you don’t tolerate a rich person’s way of life or eat their food when they were nice enough to offer it, you’re a fool.

From the studies I have seen, money does not cause happiness, but not having enough causes unhappiness. In other words, there is a negative correlation instead of a positive one. So poverty causes stress and not having poverty relieves this. There is an inflection point about 50k where you start getting significantly less return (in happiness) for each additional dollar in salary and over 100k/yr you don’t get any significant happiness increase. These numbers may be a few years out of date.

I’ve had the opportunity to speak to some CEO’s and multimillionaires who have confirmed this idea. One CEO said he didn’t pay his top people as much as other companies because top salaried people don’t choose their employer based on pay but instead on work environment and this particular company had a very positive work environment. Therefore those with top salaries are recognizing that additional pay will not increase their happiness as much as other factors.

That’s a good point, Natalie. I think there’s some truth to that. If you’re good at what you do, there almost is always another job out there that you can jump to for a little or a lot more money. At some point, it has to be about the other things you get out of the job.

Jobs aren’t a cause of happiness, but they’re obviously a cause of money. If a rich person claims to be happy, he or she is right, I know this because I was supposed to win over $600,000 and I wanted that money and still don’t have it, so I’m sad and pissed off because I’m not rich.

Yeah, money does buy happiness, but if I had too much money, I wouldn’t buy luxuries, and I would eat a certain way and wear shabby clothes, but live in an expensive flat in a vertical building (i.e. it’s called an expensive apartment). Asceticism if you combine non-suffering techniques is truly liberating, and I believe if a rich person did it he can forgive the pauper for hating him, and wouldn’t be such a clown.

Maybe I’m just bitter but I know money is the number one cause of divorce. Money broke up my family and ruined everyones’ childhoods. So in my opinion, yes, money leads to happiness. Maybe it can’t buy it, but it definitely influences it.
Men with money get more women.
You have tons of options with money.
Girls can look better and feel better about themselves with money because they can buy nice clothes.
Children with money can go to nice private schools instead of ghetto public ones.
Think about washing dishes. Most people don’t like washing them. Think about how annoying it is, like, “I have to wash these dishes because I have no choice.” Now what if you are rich but washing dishes? You wash them because it is morally right. Technically you could just pay someone to wash them for you. It gives you the option of doing something for yourself.

I feel everyone is just trying to be moral by saying money doesn’t buy happiness; social proof at work. The following is a partial truth: MONEY BUYS HAPPINESS. Anyone who disagrees I will say just hasn’t experienced certain life events. I will not criticize or condemn, rather I will be tolerant and understanding.I grew up on less than $12 a week by a single mother in a developing country. I’ve been there ladies and gentlemen, I worked hard to get where I am. I came to the US and I attained a higher education. I read books on real estate, taxes, investing, and my all time favorite, Dale Carnegie’s how to win friends and influence people. Today I’m very affluent. I remember wanting to travel, wanting to eat something different for once in a while, having nice clothes, not having to worry about paying bills, being able to have the latest gadgets, etc. Did money buy me happiness? yes it did. Did it buy me complete happiness? no, ATTITUDE and WISDOM did. Do I give to charity? yes. Do I buy nice gifts for my friends? when they deserve it. Do I spoil people? no, instead I promote self sufficiency. It’s attitude and education which win happiness people, money will only go so far.

I have been studying belief systems for over 25 years and know without doubt that Money is just one belief system. There’s an old saying that goes, “The rich get richer the poor get poorer”, this is because poor people have a belief system called ‘poverty consciousness’ they mostly unconsciously believe they don’t deserve or are not worthy of money.In order to feel you are worthy to have money you just need to get rid of your negative beliefs about it.

Nothing can buy happiness because happiness is just a small part of the human psyche.Happiness comes from shedding your negative belief system and becoming self-determined. There are poor happy people and unhappy rich people, many rich people are seriously depressed and as are many poor people. The problem we have as humans is that we are rarely satisfied. We always seem to want more. My job is to even the playing field so that more people are happy with what they have and stop yearning for things they believe will make them happy.

I learned from personal experience over many years that it’s the constant worry about money and the stress that causes, that creates the great divide between the ‘haves and have nots’. If you are serious about creating the money you need to have the life you believe you want and are struggling to get by, log onto my website and contact me and I’ll send you a FREE COPY of my e-book ‘Wealth Beyond – Belief’ so that you can stop worrying about money and attract what you need. May you have all you need and some of what you want.